My Immortal
by ilove jacksparrow
Summary: SongFic based on Evanescence's My Immortal. Willabeth Oneshot. Takes place after Will returns for the first time. It picks up where the aftercredits scene left off. Post AWE. Spoiler Alert.


AN: Alright, so the other night I was listening to Evanescence's song, My Immortal. And it reminded me of Will and Elizabeth. So here's a song-fic one shot with an Epilogue... It takes place when Will comes back after ten years, basically where the scene after the credits leaves off. I hope you'll read and review, and also enjoy it:). I own nothing but any tidbits of creativity. All hail the mouse.

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"Come on, Mama!" Elizabeth smiled at William, following him as he raced down to the sandy beach. "He's almost here!"

"Yes, he is." Her voice was barely a whisper as her heart hammered against her chest. After all that time waiting, he was finally there. She could only hope that the curse could and would be broken; she'd heard through the years that there were ways that wouldn't kill the captain that could break the horrible curse. Perhaps it already had, and he was coming back to tell her.

Before she could ponder any longer, she found herself watching in awe as her husband stepped through the foamy surf, towards her. "Will," She whispered, as if she were afraid he weren't real, "Will!"

William watched as his mother ran into his father, whom he'd never had the chance to meet. After ten years, he would finally get a chance to see if his father was anything like he'd imagined.

"Elizabeth," Will murmured as he sought her lips, bringing hers to his as he wrapped both of his arms around her possessively. Their breaths prolonged them, causing them to break their trance for a moment. Seizing the opportunity, Elizabeth immediately pulled him into an embrace, burying her head into his neck as she felt him do the same. "I've missed you."

"You have no idea," he could hear her whisper as her hands wove into his dark curls, her breath and tears of happiness warm on his neck. Will closed his eyes, inhaling her intoxicating scent, one that he'd missed for ten years. Her voice was like music to his ears, making him sigh in contentment. "I love you."

"I love you, so very much. Is it all over?" 

Will could hear the hope in her voice, pleading for the answer to be yes. "I don't think so, love," he murmured, kissing her neck gently before pulling away. His heart, despite the fact that it was in Elizabeth's room, shattered when he saw her fresh tears; instead of being caused by missing him, these were caused by her hopes crashing straight into the sand. "Who's…?" Will's voice faltered as a young boy appeared beside his wife, running towards him suddenly.

"Papa!" The boy cried, running to the man he'd never known. Will's thoughts reeled as he unknowingly dropped to his knees, enveloping the boy in a warm hug. _He can't be…_ he thought.

"This is your son, William Turner the Third." The elder Turner smiled as he knit his fingers into his son's dark curls, so much like his own.

"I've waited forever, Papa. Can we go home now?"

"Yes, son, show me the way." He smiled at his child, his unexpected son, as he pulled back to take in every detail.

Will found that his son mirrored him in a remarkable fashion with his dark eyes and dark ringlets. But among all the features that showed who his father was, he still resembled his mother in a beautiful way; the same proud chin and the same shaped eyes. Brushing a curl out of William's face, Will stood.

As the young boy skipped ahead, Elizabeth paused for her husband to catch up, his legs still obviously adjusting to being on land after being at sea for all that time. Without speaking a word, she laced her fingers with his, leading him towards their sea home with a smile on both of their faces. Secretly, she'd wished that his answer had been yes, that he would return to them forever, never to leave again. But the answer had been no, and she couldn't help but hate herself for allowing her hopes to rise so high.

The family reached the small cottage, William stealing his father's other hand and unknowingly pulling his parents apart. Still smiling, Elizabeth followed a short distance behind her the two men in her life. "This is my room," she heard her son boast, obviously proud of himself. Quietly, she leaned on the doorframe, watching as William pointed out each and every boat that he'd constructed. Finally, he reached his and her favorite. "Captain Jack helped me build this. So did Mama. It's the Dutchman!"

Will grinned as he reached out to hold the small model of the ship he'd lived upon for his son's whole life. Delicately, he traced the crocodile-like head of the ship, amazed. "Captain Jack drew all of the pieces and helped me cut them. Mama told him the details," William continued, not missing a beat.

Gingerly, the young Turner took the boat from his father, placing it back upon it's shelf above his bed. Will turned to see his wife's gentle eyes watching the scene quietly and patiently. "Care to join us?"

"No," she whispered, "but it's somebody's bedtime." She eyed their son knowingly, receiving a guilty grin in response. It reminded her of Will's in so many ways.

"I'll be here in the morning, son," Will whispered, watching as the child placed his boots strategically on the floor at the foot of his bed. Slowly, William climbed into the bed, watching his father closely. The Dutchman's captain sat on the edge, regarding his son as they locked eyes.

"Tell me a story, Papa."

Will turned to look at Elizabeth once more, who nodded with a smile. "I'll be there in a moment," he told her before turning to converse with the child he'd just met yet fell in love with.

As her husband launched into a tale about rescuing her all those years ago, she turned and closed the door quietly behind her. Quietly, she padded down the hallway to her- and now Will's – bedroom. With a sigh, she went to her vanity table to extract something from her jewelry box. It was a golden ring, a larger brother to the one she wore. She'd bought them after discovering that she would be having a child, so that people would know that she was taken. She'd waited all that time to give it to him, and now that she could, it seemed that they both had so little time to waste with gifts.

"You did a wonderful job, Elizabeth," Will whispered, closing the door behind him as he progressed towards her.

Willingly, she allowed him to wrap his arms around her waist, pulling her body to his so that every inch was touching. "There's something I've been waiting to give you," Elizabeth whispered, finding his left hand resting with the right one on her abdomen. Slowly, she took the ring and slid it onto his ring finger. His larger fingers grasped her smaller ones, the moment surreal. "I've waited ten years to give it to you."

"Thank you," her whispered against her neck as he kissed the sensitive skin located there. "For raising William on your own, for the ring, for waiting for me." In an instant, he spun her around so that he could look into her honey-colored eyes. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, Will," she murmured, barely finishing before his eager lips found hers. "I've missed you, more than you could know."

_I'm so tired of being here  
Suppressed by all my childish fears_

"And I you," He whispered as he backed her towards the bed, savoring the feel of her body against his.

Slowly, she removed her arms from where she'd rested them around his neck and slipped her numb hands underneath his already untucked shirt. The scent of him was intoxicating, just as she'd found it to be all those years ago.

_And if you have to leave  
I wish that you would just leave  
'Cause your presence still lingers here  
And it won't leave me alone_

Beneath her nimble fingers, Elizabeth reveled in the feeling of his muscles quivering at her touch. With feather-light kisses, Will moved his mouth from hers to her neck, working his way towards her shoulders. Gently, he unlocked one of his arms and moved it up her back to support her as he guided her down onto the bed. And finally, they found themselves incapable of focusing on anything but themselves, a feeling they'd missed for too long.

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Hours later, Elizabeth lay tangled in her loving husband's gentle embrace, his arms gently holding her hostage against his body. Her head adorned his tanned and scarred chest, her ears hearing nothing but his nearly quiet breathing. Lazily, a finger reached out to stroke the vaguely E-shaped scar that adorned his far from flawless skin, and yet somehow, it was still so perfect.

His smell filled her lungs, reminding her that it would be another ten years until they could lie like this for more than one night in a row. Tears filled her eyes as anxiety filled her heart to the brim. "Will?" Her voice was nothing more than a cry for help as she moved slightly so that she could see Will's loving face. "I can't bear to lose you; not when I've just gained you back."

_These wounds won't seem to heal  
This pain is just too real  
There's just too much that time cannot erase_

His breath caught in his throat as she gazed at him with her gentle tear-filled gaze. Like her, he, too, was dreading the next sunset for when it came, he would have to leave her and his newly discovered son behind once more. "I know what you mean," he whispered as one of his hands slowly tangled itself in her hair. "From the time I became Captain, I've been counting down the moments, days, and seconds until I could see you again. I thought that today would never come."

_When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears  
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears  
And I held your hand through all of these years  
But you still have  
All of me_

"It's my fault; I've allowed my hopes to get too high. I shouldn't have expected to find the curse broken after only ten years. Perhaps next time we're destined to reunite, it will be for good." The dam broke and with one final blink, the tears escaped, rolling down her sun-tanned cheek to land on his shoulder as she leaned over him.

_You used to captivate me  
By your resonating light  
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind_

"This is foolish of me," Elizabeth's voice wavered. "I'm not the only one who has to deal with this. If nothing else, you have it worse. Everyday, you come face-to-face with souls who have died at sea, like you almost did…"

"Elizabeth," Will demanded, slowly bringing a hand to cup her cheek. "You're stronger than anyone I will ever know. You've done it for ten years, and hopefully you won't have to keep doing it for another ten."

"Without William, I doubt I'd be here right now," she murmured as she leaned against his gentle hand.

_Your face it haunts  
My once pleasant dreams  
Your voice, it chased away  
All the sanity in me_

"There are ways," he began, "to break the binding curse. Father has told me stories of ways that it could be done, but the most promising one is to wait for Calypso to release me from my duty. There's a fifty-fifty chance that she could do so, and even greater a chance once I've returned to the Locker." Slowly, his thumb brushed away the tears as they fell, her eyes closing in bliss of his touch. "And I pray nightly that she will. This burden is more than anyone should have to bear. Every time I close my eyes, I see your face and whenever I sleep, I dream of being with you, darling."

_These wounds won't seem to heal  
This pain is just too real  
There's just too much that time cannot erase_

"Sometimes I wonder what would have become of me if Jack wouldn't have used you to stab the heart. I think that we'd be together forever, dead and thriving at the same time."

"Don't talk like that. Look at me, Elizabeth," he demanded, his eyes full of love and desire to be with her for more than a single night and day. "I was bound for a reason. And I think it was so you could have somewhat of the life that you'd always wanted; a child, and a home near the sea. You're near the summoning place, should the court ever need be summoned again, and you're the Pirate King."

Silence and dread filled the air around them, engulfing them like a maelstrom engulfs ships. Her lips grazed his skin, kissing it lightly as they both lay in a moment of utter stillness.

"Will," she whispered as she lowered her head to rest in the crook of his neck, "I can't help but think that somehow, our son was some odd way that fate was giving part of you to me, something to hold onto. And I have. He's so like you."

_When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears  
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears  
And I held your hand through all of these years  
But you still have  
All of me_

Unsure of what to say, Will resided to gently embedding one of his hands in her hair as she cried into his shoulder. Finally, the correct words came to him. "We only have tonight to be alone, love. You say that William helped you live; how about I give you another piece of me, so that you can live until I can see you again. That is, if you're still able…" He trailed off, kissing the top of her head gently as she nuzzled against him.

"I'm still able to conceive," she whispered, her words slightly muffled, "but when I have another child, I want you to be here with me through it all."

"I will be," he whispered, "I'll be thinking of you every moment. I won't be able to know for certain if you're carrying another babe, but I can pretend, calculating the days until you become a mother again. And I'll continue to do my duty, and perhaps Calypso will grant us with our unfulfilled wish."

_I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone  
But though you're still with me  
I've been alone all along_

"Then it's decided?" She pulled away to look into his dark gaze that glittered in the dark.

"Aye," he whispered, his voice full of desire as his waiting lips met hers, both of their desires feeding into that single kiss. "We only have a few hours until sunrise… and then our time alone is to be spent with William. I suggest we get started on that future of yours…"

_Yours_. That word struck a chord within Elizabeth, tears spilling down her cheeks once more. "What about your future?"

"It's already decided; it's with you, and now William," he whispered as he pulled her on top of him. "No more sad talk, Elizabeth." She tried to open her mouth to continue but Will ceased her attempts, covering her mouth with his. "No more," he repeated as he continued to kiss her.

_When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears  
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears  
And I held your hand through all of these years  
But you still have  
All of me_

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As soon as dawn broke the next morning, Elizabeth and Will found themselves awake with William eagerly awaiting the day ahead. "I don't have to complete my lessons today, do I, Mama?"

Elizabeth locked eyes with her husband, whose arm was locked firmly around her thin waist. After receiving a knowing look and smile from him, she turned to the boy, smiling and shaking her head. "No, William. Not today. Today is for all of us. What would you like to do?"

William grinned, taking his father's hand. "Show Papa our ship."

"You have a ship?" Will questioned, raising his eyebrows as they exited their home, being led to the dock by their son. The grin on his face caused her to blush.

"It's not the ship I'd originally been given, but yes, we do. It's not as big as the Pearl, and I doubt Jack will ever let me forget that fact."

He laughed, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek as they continued to walk. They reached their destination, William tugging on his father's hand impatiently. "Go on, you two," Elizabeth instructed. "I'll wait here. I'll be fine," she added, seeing Will's eyes shimmering with worry.

The day continued like that; they took Will all over Shipwreck, showing him every little detail courtesy of William. However, as much as they tried to cram into their one day, the found that sunset came faster than they'd ever expected it to. Elizabeth completed the day by cooking a light meal, figuring that her husband deserved at least one good meal every ten years.

As they were cleaning up, a knock sounded at the door. William raced to get it, and when he opened it, a grinning Captain Jack Sparrow greeted them. "'ello, whelp."

"Captain Jack! What're you doing here?"

"Just dropping by out o' the kindness of me… Oh, William, you're home!"

The young boy wrinkled his nose in confusion, taking a moment to realize that the pirate was referring to his father, and not him. "Aye," Will replied, gazing fondly at his family, "but not for much longer."

Jack grinned as he thought of an idea, one that would cause Elizabeth to ever owe him. "William," he said, referring to the child, "what say you to takin' a look at all those boats o' yours. I was thinkin' that it was about time you made some more…"

"Aye," the child agreed, watching his parents curiously as he went to his room, waiting for the infamous pirate to follow.

"I'll bring him down before it's over," Jack murmured as he went into the young boy's room.

"Come on," Elizabeth whispered to her husband.

Hand in hand, the walked to the sandy beach, neither of them saying a word. "It's too soon," she whispered, not able to focus on anything but the approaching sunset. Judging from the way the sun wasn't quite touching the sapphire waters yet, they still had merely and hour or so. The Dutchman could be seen bobbing gently in the distance, awaiting its captain.

"Aye," Will replied as they reached their destination. He pulled her into a gentle embrace, her head immediately burying in the crook of his neck. "I love you, Elizabeth."

"And I love you, Will. I always will, don't forget that. I suppose you make the saying 'home is where the heart is' true, eh?"

He chuckled, delighted to hear that she was making jokes. "Aye, I suppose I do. Darling, if last night worked out in our favor, then be strong. I'll be back."

She withdrew enough to look into his dark eyes, the eyes that she'd miss once again. "I know," her voice was heavy with love and dread. It was then that she took him by surprise, her mouth forming an amused smile, her gentle laugh filling the air that surrounded them. "But let's suppose that last night didn't work out in our favor?"

"Then," Will whispered, crushing her lips to his as he slowly lowered them onto the sand, "we shall have to make sure."

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"Papa?" William called as he ran ahead of his babysitter, who was purposely lagging behind to give the family some time alone.

"We're here, son," his father's comforting voice called from the beach.

Trying not to falter and fall, the boy raced down the Cliffside to where his parents stood,  
Elizabeth's hands busy with fixing Will's shirt. "What're you doing, Mama?"

Her mind faltered as she struggled to come up with a response that wouldn't give away the real reason that their clothes were altered. To her great relief, her beloved covered for her. "We were sitting in the sand and your mother was just helping me clean it off." He pulled her closer to his side so that she could only hear him whisper, "it's not a total lie."

She smiled in spite of the fact that he would be leaving them in only a matter of moments. "Are you leaving now, Papa?"

"Yes, William, I must go now. But I'll be back."

"When? In ten years?"

Saddened by the situation, Will nodded, temporarily releasing his wife to kneel eye-to-eye with his child. With any luck, the next time he would see him he would have a younger sibling. "Aye. Take care of Mama for me, won't you?"

"Aye, Papa, I will." Abruptly, the elder of the two pulled the child into a warm embrace. "I'll miss you."

"And I you," Will whispered, burying his hand into his son's dark curls.

Dreading the final goodbye, he stood upright, turning to face the one he had missed for so long and who he'd continue to miss. "Elizabeth," he whispered upon seeing her tear-filled eyes. "I'll be back." Gently, he held her by the arms, staring at her with a longing that would have to wait to be satisfied. "I'll work as hard as I can."

"You'll be here? In ten years?"

"Or sooner," he whispered before pulling her fully into his arms, wishing that he never had to let go. "I love you," he uttered before claiming her lips one last time.

"I love you." When breath was needed, they resided to simply clinging to one another, his lips gently kissing her neck before pulling away. Gently, her hand took one final sweep across his bandana-covered curls, brushing a few stray strands behind his ear. "Never forget me."

"I won't," he promised, kissing her cheek and finally pulling away. "Keep a weather eye on the horizon." She nodded, broken as the tears broke free of their confinements.

Will stepped into the cool, foamy surf, not looking back when he heard her begin to cry. He knew that if he did, then he wouldn't leave. "I love you, Elizabeth," he murmured to no one as he disappeared from the waters, reappearing on his ship.

His father found him as they prepared to transfer back to the Land of the Dead. "How is she?"

"I have a son," he replied as he leaned on the broken railing, watching their forms as the Dutchman sailed towards the sun.

"Calypso has never before released what she's taken. But there's a first for everything, eh?"

"Aye, that there is."

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Epilogue

Little did Will know, his words were truer than he could've imagined. For three months, the Dutchman sailed dutifully through the dark, cold waters as it ferried souls to the next world. Every time he laid eyes on a soul who was clinging to someone they loved, he felt pity, reminding him of everything he'd left behind.

It was moments like that that caused Elizabeth's words to come back to him. _"Sometimes I wonder what would have become of me if Jack wouldn't have used you to stab the heart. I think that we'd be together forever, dead and thriving at the same time."_ And somehow, those words seemed to encourage him all the more; causing him to make sure the souls could rest in peace with each other.

He laid on the cot in his cabin, the place he could only go to when there was no sign or suspicion of souls in need of care. As he slipped into sleep, he could hear his father's voice, as if he were pleading with someone. "I shall take his place."

"'im wife need 'im. I shall replace 'im wit you if you can promise to nev'r leave the Dutchman." This time it was Tia Dalma's voice, obviously in the form of Calypso.

"Father?" Will opened his eyes to see that no one was there with him, yet the voices continued. He listened intently as he hurried towards the door, eager to see what was going on.

"Aye, I swear," Bootstraps' gentle yet rough voice responded.

"It shall be done," the woman replied.

The door opened, and all that greeted Will's line of vision was his father standing there, staring at him with unleashed pride. "You need to go to her, William. She's needing you."

"And condemn you to a life by yourself?"

Bootstrap chuckled, smiling gently. "I've already been condemned twice, son. She needs you and you need her."

Not thinking twice, the younger man pulled his father into a warm hug. "You're stronger than I can give you credit for," the father whispered as he released his son. "We'll be returning shortly, before we have to transfer more souls."

All Will could do was nod.

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Across from where she sat, the sun cast a faint glow from the window into the room. She was sitting in the drawing room, watching as yet another sunset came and went. William was in his bedroom, preparing himself for bed in a few hours time.

It was one of the first evenings since Will's departure that it had only been her and her son. Jack had lingered around for a while, restocking the Pearl, which he'd stolen back from Barbossa quite some time ago. He'd been kind when he'd announced that he was leaving. Personally, she couldn't have cared less, but she could tell that in some oddball way, the good man side of him just fed his ego more.

Elizabeth watched the sun for another moment, finally turning her head to stare at the blank wall. As she stared at the orange-bathed wall, it suddenly flashed before her eyes, causing her heart to skip a beat. It had occurred so quickly that if William wouldn't have come running into the room at that moment, she would've thought it to be a figment of her imagination. "Mama," her son whispered as he followed her out of the house, both of them running to the cliff's edge. "Is it real?"

In the distance, the Dutchman sat, floating peacefully, a small longboat being rowed towards them. "Yes," she whispered, running down the slope to greet the boat's inhabitant. "Will!" She cried, running waist-deep into the waters, which lapped at her playfully as he reached her, abandoning the small boat. "You're here!"

"Aye," he whispered against her lips, "Calypso has bound father to take my place…"

"Will, I want you home, but at that expense…"

"He insisted. I'll explain later," his voice replied huskily, his lips meeting hers. "They said that you needed me, and that I need you. And I do."

A grin stole across her face as she remembered why she did, indeed, need him. "I do need you." He regarded her for a moment, his eyes full of questions. Wordlessly, she reached for his hand and placed it on her abdomen. His eyes widened at the small indentation found there. "Your future for me is coming true, only now it can be shared by you."

"You're… pregnant again?"

"Yes," she whispered, kissing him sweetly. "And this time, you'll be here for me."

"Always," he promised as he pulled her to him. "I swear."


End file.
